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Little Britain removed from streaming platforms

Split from US Demonstrations | News Coverage (June 2020)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
JO
Jon
DVB Cornwall posted:
Not gone through the detail of the thread, apologies if already mentioned. but it's worth noting that Apple Services (iTunes that was) still have all their 'Little Britain' content available to purchase (at the time of writing), so it's not been removed from everywhere.

And I’m sure they’ll have done very well out of it.
JA
Jake
Whataday posted:
DavidWhitfield posted:
Whataday posted:
Apu was more problematic because he was an obvious stereotype. It wasn't just the fact that he was portrayed by a white man.

Interesting you use the word 'stereotype'. They were very open about him being a stereotype and he's not the only one ;they even had a joke in a 1996 episode which revolved around a bowling tournament where one of the teams was called 'The Stereotypes' and featured the likes of Willie (angry Scotsman), Luigi (Italian chef), and Cletus ('redneck' character). Just to bring this full circle to Apu, he tells Homer in the episode "they begged me to join their team". Begs the question - if Apu is racist, is Willie racist? They use a Scottish accent and the stereotype of the 'angry Scot'. Is Luigi racist? They use a ridiculously over the top Italian accent and his surname is 'Risotto'. Are they racist or is it 'less bad' because those characters are white?



Let me be clear: It's not racist because those characters are white.


Yellow.
WH
Whataday Founding member
Jon posted:
What about drag then? Perfectly acceptable by most people today. Who’s to say whether in a decades time things like Ru Paul’s Drag Race will still have their legitimacy.

Could the argument not be made that what drag acts do is similar to white people imitating ethnic minorities.


I think overall there is a lack of understanding about blackface and why it is so unpalatable. White people used to black up to demean and dehumanise African Americans. They would portray them as lazy, ignorant, superstitious, hypersexual, criminal or cowardly, in order to undermine any reasoning that they should be afforded human rights.

Drag in comparison has always been a more positive, uplifting artform. While there is surely an argument that some drag might be offensive to women or trans people, I think that would largely depend on the individual portrayal by the artist.
WH
Whataday Founding member
Jake posted:
Whataday posted:
DavidWhitfield posted:
Interesting you use the word 'stereotype'. They were very open about him being a stereotype and he's not the only one ;they even had a joke in a 1996 episode which revolved around a bowling tournament where one of the teams was called 'The Stereotypes' and featured the likes of Willie (angry Scotsman), Luigi (Italian chef), and Cletus ('redneck' character). Just to bring this full circle to Apu, he tells Homer in the episode "they begged me to join their team". Begs the question - if Apu is racist, is Willie racist? They use a Scottish accent and the stereotype of the 'angry Scot'. Is Luigi racist? They use a ridiculously over the top Italian accent and his surname is 'Risotto'. Are they racist or is it 'less bad' because those characters are white?



Let me be clear: It's not racist because those characters are white.


Yellow.


I sincerely apologise to the residents of Springfield. Laughing
JO
Jon
Whataday posted:
Jon posted:
What about drag then? Perfectly acceptable by most people today. Who’s to say whether in a decades time things like Ru Paul’s Drag Race will still have their legitimacy.

Could the argument not be made that what drag acts do is similar to white people imitating ethnic minorities.


I think overall there is a lack of understanding about blackface and why it is so unpalatable. White people used to black up to demean and dehumanise African Americans. They would portray them as lazy, ignorant, superstitious, hypersexual, criminal or cowardly, in order to undermine any reasoning that they should be afforded human rights.

Drag in comparison has always been a more positive, uplifting artform. While there is surely an argument that some drag might be offensive to women or trans people, I think that would largely depend on the individual portrayal by the artist.

I agree. I just think there are people who will make similar arguments for the case of abolishing drag and what seems far fetched now may be looked on totally differently in the future.
IS
Inspector Sands
In normal times we quite often see Morris dancing groups with black faces. I think of myself as a person of liberal attitude and have lived in some of the most diverse multicultural parts of London and am always a bit torn when I see them.

There is a non-racial origin behind it and its not as far as I can see pretending to be a black person - its usually either rather half hearted, looks like dirt rather than make up, or is not all the face. However of course it makes me uncomfortable and although I dot feel strongly enough to complain or kick up a fuss there's usually someone at such events that does. Wondering if this might be the end of that particular practise
DV
dvboy
Inspector Sands posted:
In normal times we quite often see Morris dancing groups with black faces.


I have never seen this.
MA
Markymark
dvboy posted:
Inspector Sands posted:
In normal times we quite often see Morris dancing groups with black faces.


I have never seen this.


Be glad!
WL
W1LL
RDJ posted:
Without wishing to sound flippant, but it was definitely known at the time that Little Britain was controversial and not PC at the time. But that was the hook of the series.

It was to be viewed in an ironic nature. The shock factor of the stereotypical profiling is what it’s all about.


Exactly. The clue is in the title of the programme, it was essentially taking the mick out of small minded attitudes.
BR
Brekkie
Bo Selecta has now been removed from All4.
JO
Jon
The League of Gentlemen has now been removed from Netflix. It still appears to be on iPlayer for now.
BR
Brekkie
Jon posted:
The League of Gentlemen has now been removed from Netflix. It still appears to be on iPlayer for now.

But that's a local show for local people.

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